Greetings Stav,
I have only been playing for a year or so, and my perspective is that of a
beginner...
I have a teacher (a really good one at that). the advantages for me are
that I am not endlessly re-inventing the wheel. It is a kind of short cut,
if you like. Shigeru, by using the skills and strategies that have been
encoded in the teaching methods handed down in his ryu (and the all of the
others) is giving me a well developed and streamlined introduction to the
instrument, and its context.
There is also a lot to be said for just having the priveledge of being able
to watch someone who is a master of the instrument play. I reckon that I
can pick up more in five minutes of watching my teacher than I could in
many (generally frustrating) hours of trying to work it out on my own.
There is the whole tone thing as well. The act of trying to match your tone
with that of a teacher, in a live playing context, is an important part of
the way that the shak is taught (I think?). You could probably try the same
thing with notation and a C.D, but given the effect of the environment on
tone production, and the effect that ANY form of recording has on the way
an instrument sounds, I think you would have your work cut out for you.
Finally, why miss out on the chance to participate in one of the worlds few
remaining systems of direct teacher to student transmission. I feel lucky
to be able to participate in this tradition, and consider it to be a
priveledge, and a joy that is over and above that of the playing itself.
All of this is just opinion of course :-)
Paul
>
>
> In learning how to play the shakuhachi, how crucial is live instruction?
> It
> seems that the most difficult part is developing the muscles of your lips
> and abdomen - and how could a teacher speed this process up, besides
> ensuring that you stick to a regular regime of increasingly challenging
> exercies? Would a very well disciplined student stand to gain much from
> the
> pedalogical framework of a teacher?
>
> Of course, without a teacher once can not be inducted into the
> traditional
> lineage of shakuhachi teacher-student relationships,and an unbroken
> transition of a cultural bounty of great beauty, which is undoubtably
> something of tremendsous value. But from a strictly technical
> persepective
> - the value of a teacher above a good insturctional guide and
> accompanying
> disc is not apparent to me.
>
> I would enjoy hearing the persepctives others on this issue.
>
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Feb 03 2003 - 09:09:50 PST